PB2679: MIXED-METHOD, CROSS-SECTIONAL SURVEY TO DESCRIBE FEELINGS, PERCEPTION, AND EXPERIENCE OF MULTIPLE MYELOMA PATIENTS WHO SWITCHED FROM INTRAVENOUS DARATUMUMAB TO THE SUBCUTANEOUS FORMULATION IN EUROPE
Authors: Valeria Magarotto, Julien Thevenon, Kate Morgan, Silene Ten Seldam, Wafae Iraqi, Xavier Guillaume, Dahbia Horchi, Bleuenn Rault, Traugott Ludwig Gruppe
Journal: HemaSphere (2023)

Topic: 35. Quality of life and palliative care Background: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most prevalent haematological malignancy. MM incidence increases with age, and its symptom burden varies from physical impairment such as pain, anaemia, bone lesions, and renal dysfunction to psychological impairment, including anxiety and depression. Daratumumab (dara) originally developed for intravenous (IV) administration has shown promising efficacy in both relapsed/refractory and first-line settings. The recently launched subcutaneous (SC) dara form has shown equivalent efficacy and pharmacokinetics and improved safety profile in patients as compared to the IV form. Aims: To describe the real-world experience before and after switching from IV dara to SC dara in European countries (UK, France, Germany and Spain). Methods: This is a multi-country, cross-sectional, quantitative survey in adult dara-treated MM patients that switched from the IV to SC form between July 2021 and August 2022. Recruited patients answered a 20-minute questionnaire online or in paper form. The survey was developed following insights from prior qualitative interviews with dara-treated MM patients. Quantitative data were analysed using the R software and descriptive statistics. Results: Overall, 113 patients were recruited, of which 63 (56%) were male. Their mean age was 65.1 years, 17 patients (15%) had an ECOG PS ≥2 and 62 (55%) switched dara form within the last 12 months. Eighteen (16%), 62 (55%), and 31 (27%) patients received dara in the first, second, and third line, respectively. Ninety-three (82%) patients received dara as a combination treatment and 20 (18%), as a monotherapy. The mean age at MM diagnosis was 59.7 years. The average time between diagnosis and IV dara injection start was 2.9 years. On average, patients switched from IV dara to SC dara 9.4 months after drug initiation. The mean time between SC dara start and survey enrolment was 11.7 months. Patients were significantly less anxious, stressed, bored, constrained, tired, and impatient while receiving SC injection than while receiving IV injection (mean score: 1.1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.1, 1.8, 1.1 vs 1.8, 1.9, 1.8, 1.7, 2.6, 1.8, respectively; p<0.001 each) and were significantly more reassured, comfortable, and relaxed (mean score: 4.0, 4.1, 3.7 vs 3.4, 3.4, 2.9, respectively; p<0.001 each). The mean time spent in the hospital/clinic when receiving one injection of dara was 5.2 and 1.9 h for IV and SC, respectively. On average, the level of well-being after receiving treatment was well for 93 (82%) patients on IV and 110 (97%) on SC (p<0.001). More patients on SC dara stated that they had the time to do other activities immediately after receiving treatment (mean score: SC 4.4 vs IV 3.0, p<0.001), were fit enough to do other activities after treatment (mean score: SC 4.3 vs IV 3.4, p<0.001), and recovered quickly after treatment (mean score: SC 4.6 vs IV 4.0, p<0.001). Fewer patients on SC dara reported feeling of tiredness after treatment (mean score: IV 4.0 vs SC 3.1, p<0.001) and the whole treatment process as burdensome (mean score: IV 3.2 vs SC dara 2.4, p<0.001). Summary/Conclusion: We observed improvement in patients’ quality of life following switch to the SC form of dara. The SC form of dara had a lower impact on the emotional burden of patients both before and while receiving injections as compared to the IV form in almost all countries. Keywords: Real world data, Multiple myeloma, Quality of life, Therapy